History of Colonel Chester Loveland

History of Colonel Chester Loveland

Taken from The Loveland Genealogy

Col. Chester Loveland was raised on a farm in Ohio, and his educational advantages were only such as the pioneer school afforded. It was in the pioneer school he formed the acquaintance of Fanny Call whom he married in 1838. He joined the Latter Day Saints in June 1837, and moved with his father to LorainCounty where he lived until 1840, when he removed to Carthage, Ill., and purchased a farm. On account of his religious belief, in 1845, he and his sick family were attacked at midnight and their home and household goods were burned, by a mob, led on by a lawyer named Stevens. In the fall of 1845, he moved to Nauvoo, Ill., and was appointed captain of the Nauvoo Legion in its first organization. During the turbulent times through which the church passed he had many hair breadth escapes. In one instance a leaden ball designed to take his life came so near as to graze his face, scorching it sufficiently to cause the skin to peal off. He relates this incident of himself: “I was on a jury when some of our brethren who had been falsely accused were brought to trial before eleven mobocratic jurors. I held that jury thirty-six hours, until they were nearly starved. Two verdicts were before us: One guilty, the other not guilty. Eleven signed the guilty verdict and insisted that I should do the same. “ No gentlemen, I said, before I will sign that paper I will die here on this floor, and the red ants may carry me out through the key hole.” The result was: Every man signed the verdict of not guilty and the innocent went free.

He entered into plural marriage, January 15, 1847, having sealed to him in the NauvooTemple a second wife by the name of Rosannah Winters. The following spring he went west and took up a farm at Council Bluffs, Iowa, which he cultivated until 1849, when he was employed by the U.S. Government to assist in building FortKearney on the PlatteRiver.

About the first of May 1850, he was appointed captain of the first 10 in Captain Willies’ company of 50, and started with his family for Salt Lake city, Utah. During the journey he buried his son Levi who died with cholera which was then raging in the country. After a long, perilous journey of four months he arrived in Salt Lake City, September 1850. He located soon after in Bountiful, DavisCounty, where he built a log cabin to shelter his family through the winter. To procure food for his wives and children he burned charloal on Weber River which he sold and delivered to blacksmiths in Salt Lake City. In 1853, he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel by Pres. Brigham Young, then Governor of Utah, with instructions to organize a regiment in the northern part of the Territory. He subsequently carried out these instructions and was commissioned Colonel by Governor Cummings, which position he held until his death in 1886.

In the fall of 1853 he married Celia Simmons. In 1855 he went to CarsonValley which at that time was a part of Utah, but is now Nevada, to assist in locating a colony of Latter Day Saints. During one of the explorations at Walker’s Lake, they were overcome with thirst, and so intense were their sufferings that every man’s tongue was swoolen out of his mouth. Providentially some Indians met them and brought water to their relief. Never was a humane act better appreciated, for which the Indians were clothed from head to foot with new suits. Returning home in the fall, he removed his family the next spring to CarsonValley, and succeeded Orson Hyde in the presidency of the mission. He was called again to Utah in the latter part of 1857, previous to the arrival of Johnson’s army in Utah. During the defensive operations in EchoCanyon he acted as commissary. The following spring he and family went south with other church members to Provo but returned the same year to Bountiful. In 1860 he moved to Call’s Fort where he resided on a farm. While here he experienced many perilous adventures, so frequent n pioneer life. He kept a hotel for transient miners and emigrants; his only neighbors for some time were his son sheriff C.C. Loveland and family. Late in the fall of 1862, about forty-five emigrants known as Captain Smith’s Company were en route for California. On RaftRiver they were attacked by Indians who killed four and wounded nine others of the company. All their teams and provisions were stolen and the company left without food. By almost superhuman strength and fortitude three emigrants made good their escape and called upon Col. Loveland to rescue the remaining members of the company. The Colonel with three others started for the scene of trouble and upon their arrival found about thirty men women and children on the verge of starvation. All they had eaten for nine days previous was wild berries from the mountain shrubs. Although the teams and provisions were lost the remaining members of the company were rescued and shared the hospitality of the whole-souled Colonel.

In 1865 he moved six miles south to Brigham City. He was elected first mayor of Brigham City. This position he held with honor and credit two consecutive terms (four years). He subsequently was assessor and collector of the county for several years. Through his influence and ability he did much to formulate the laws and ordinances of the beautiful city of Brigham, which rightly is styled the “City of Homes.” He married Rosetta Snow, November 17, 1866. Early in the year 1868 he was appointed captain of a company to go to the terminus of the Union Pacific R.R. on the PlatteRiver after an emigration of Latter Day Saints who were on their way to Utah. They wee attacked by Indians on the Sweet Water who stole their teams. However the animals were recovered, but not without a hard struggle in which four Indians were killed. The company arrived safely under the judicious management of the colonel. He married Louise Faulkner, September 5, 1868. The Colonel was six feet two inches in height, weighed 240 pounds, had blue eyes, a high forehead, and brown curly hair. He had a fine physique. When in his military suit and mounted on his horse he was the admiration of all. He was a stranger to fear and never shunned positions of danger where duty called to rescue either friend or stranger. In physical development he was evidently formed for a champion,--tall and robust he might well pass for a modern Ajax in strength and agility. Although he acquired considerable wealth during his life, yet owing to his proverbial generosity and whole-souled disposition he never became rich. He was the friend of the poor and needy. No one ever left his door hungry. In politics he was a Democrat.

Probably no one did more to bring into subjection this desert country than the honored and courageous Col. Loveland. His fame as a leader and pioneer will be handed down for generations to come. Fond memories of his honesty and friendship will ever be cherished by his numerous posterity. He was beloved by all, especially children whom he always noticed and made happy. On March 5, 1886, he passed peacefully away.---H.L.S.